JAVI Gomez de Liaño may return to the PBA sooner than later.
Insiders told SPIN.ph that the 6-foot-5 gunslinger is working on a new deal to return to the local pro league after spending the past year playing overseas.
The former University of the Philippines student spent the past season with the Korean Basketball League's (KBL) Anyang Jung Kwan Jang where he averaged 8.4 points on 41-percent shooting from threes, to go with 2.7 rebounds.
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Terrafirma still holds the signing rights of Gomez de Liaño, 27, who last played in the PBA back in 2024.
Gomez de Liaño signed a one-year contract with Anyang and was in the process of re-signing with the Red Boosters. But he got an invitation to play for the Strong Group Athletics in the Jones Cup.
Anyang initially allowed him to suit up SGA. But the Korean team had a change of heart and told Gomez de Liaño not to play for the Philippine club. He nonetheless still played and helped SGA to back-to-back title runs.
According to sources, the Korean side wasn't happy and reported him as AWOL (absence without leave), which under KBL rules carried a one-year ban, sources said.
Curiously, the same case happened to Rhenz Abando – and with the same team, a source added.
Abando, however, has returned to Korea after he was re-signed by the Red Boosters for the 2025-26 KBL season.
As for Gomez de Liaño, there won't be a Korean stint but don’t be surprised to see him back in the PBA. Whether he plays in the familiar Dyip green, however, or in another jersey is still uncertain. - RL
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